UConn vs. East Carolina: Setting The Scene at Williams Arena

GREENVILLE, N.C – Welcome to Greenville, where getting here was half the fun. With more fun on tap for tomorrow – another snow storm, cancelled flights, etc. ... I'm taking the Amtrak home.

The Huskies had travel issues, too. With the airport here closed down all day Tuesday, they flew to Raleigh and came by bus. They’ll try to beat the storm out of here after the game tonight.

“The trip can't be a distraction,” Kevin Ollie said Tuesday. “We've got to play the game. We get to the hotel and get back to what we need to do to prepare for ECU. No matter what we're going through now it can't affect us on the court and focusing in for 40 minutes of playing UConn basketball.”

The Huskies need a win on the road, and it won’t be easy. The Pirates are 11-3 here, beating Memphis and Cincinnati. It’s about an hour before the game, the Huskies are out shooting, let’s set the scene:

This building holds about 8,000. The biggest crowds of the year have been in the 5,000 range, but they expect about 7,000 tonight. That’s UConn’s life in this league – they’re the big draw, men and women.

Rakim Lubin didn’t make the trip. He sustained a concussion working out in the weight room this week, so he stayed back in Connecticut. He’ll be evaluated day by day.

Anticipating UConn’s lineup will be Ryan Boatright, Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton, Phil Nolan and Amida Brimah, the five that got the Huskies off to a good start against Tulane last game.

But UConn has to guard the three-point line, so expect to see Terrence Samuel in for some defense early on. And Omar Calhoun, if he can bring in the momentum from his solid effort last Sunday.

Purvis is playing back close to home for the first time since leaving NC State, and he’s excited about it.

“This is my first time back home and getting the chance to play in front of my friends and family,” he said Tuesday. “I think I have about 40 or 50 people coming. They are all rallying up to come and support me. So I get a chance to play in front of them again, so it will be fun.

I think it will just give me more energy. I will be excited to be out there. I won't be flat or anything. I think it will help me out a lot and I'm looking forward to it.”